MA Animation

at University for the Creative Arts

Course details

Term one

Research and Critical Approaches: Animation
You will explore the different modes of research related to the creative process, developing your skills in translating imagined film concepts into treatments, project proposals, screenplays and other forms of communicating film ideas. The first part of this unit is delivered jointly with MA Filmmaking and other film courses.

Skills and Development: Animation Practice
Through a series of practical workshops and lectures, you'll cover pre-production and research, sound design, storyboarding and animatics, animation techniques and editing in order to further your own knowledge and technical ability within your own practice.

Term two

During term two you begin developing your MA project, evaluating and testing out the aims of your proposal over a sustained period of self-directed study.

Animation Production
The work undertaken in this unit should build on the research questions you initiated and explored in the previous units. This is the period within which you will undertake the majority of your production work for your film. Throughout the unit you will be encouraged to critically reflect on the development of your project.

Term three

In the third term of the course, you'll apply the knowledge gained through your research to create a final body of work.

Project Delivery and Professional Context: Animation
This allows you to reflect on the work that you've produced so far, and resolve it into a form that allows for completion and delivery of your animated film.

MA course
 

• An honours degree or equivalent qualification in the subject or a related discipline
  
  and/or
   
• Relevant work experience, demonstrating your ability to study at postgraduate level.

Consideration will also be given to applicants who can make a strong case for admission in relation to a particular project and can demonstrate their potential to satisfactorily complete the course.

MA Animation is designed for candidates with previous animation experience. Our course encourages you to refine your practice, rather than introduce you to the principles of animation. If animation is new to you, we'd suggest enrolling on the relevant Pre-masters courses before undertaking our MA programme.

International tuition fees per year:
£18,000

An enormous range of career opportunities exist in animation, and typical careers in the industry include:
 

• Directors
• Producers
• Animators (in commercials, films, broadcast, online media and games)
• Editors
• Character designers
• Production designers
• Pre-vis artists
• Compositors
• Storyboard artists
• Post-production.

As one of the pre-eminent animation courses in the world, our sought-after alumni have landed many exciting, high profile roles across the industry. These include:
 

• Animators
• CG animators
• CG riggers
• Designers
• Directors
• Model makers
• Producers
• Storyboard artists.

Many well-known studios have been set up by our alumni, including:
 

• Animade
• Astley Baker Davies (makers of Peppa Pig)
• Film Fabrik
• Honeycomb Animation (makers of Grizzly Tales for Gruesome Kids)
• Mackinnon & Saunders
• Moth Collective
• Slurpy Studios
• Tandem Pictures.

This gives our course very solid links to a vibrant industry, and we enjoy connections with a range of creative talent, studios and potential employers.